I learned something cool! little tricks to make life easier

Nursing Students CNA/MA

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So I was having this huge issue with the bedpan with one particular resident. He calls for it a lot and often doesn't go. But when he does, man look out! It's huge, loose and you can NEVER get it out of the pan! So I was just throwing the whole thing away.

Another aide told me the best trick! Put a plastic can liner over the bedpan, stuff it down in the inside and use it that way. Then when I remove the pan, I can turn the bag inside out, toss in the wipes and be done with the whole process! Amazing!!!

I love stuff like that! And when I told the aides on my new floor, they were amazed the newby had some great trick they didn't know :D What do you pass on that makes your life easier?

Specializes in LTC.

This thread is kinda old but there's so much info in here, why start a new one?

I thought of something else today that no one posted yet. If someone's hair gets greasy in between washes, sprinkle powder all over the roots and comb it through. It looks great after that.

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wrapping sheets or blankets around a patient is a restraint. it may save you time in bedchanges, but that is what you are there for. Why are my fellow CNA's always looking for shortcuts? And napping at work? I'm sorry, but that is unacceptable, you would be fired anywhere I have ever worked and rightfully so. You are to be aware at all times in case of fire or some other unforseen disaster. patient falls, etc. I don't know where you work, but I sure do hope I don't know you!!

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Whoa, who pee'd in your cheerios? Tricks to make things easier doesn't mean short cuts to good care. Quite the opposite in my mind really. If I'm not running all over the world setting things up with each resident or whatever, I have MORE time for actual patient care! The only mention of napping I can find is one comment about taking a nap ON BREAK, hardly a major problem. With an attitude like yours, I'm hoping I don't know you either.

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Specializes in LTC.

Yeah I don't think anyone mentioned anything about restraining someone with sheets. Weren't they just wrapping someone's crotch? Kinda like a cloth brief?

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I don't know about yours, but our trash bags are much, much too large to properly fit our trash cans, trash bins, and laundry barrels. While I'm somewhat grateful that people bother to put a bag in them, I simply despise when they just put the bag over it and then go about their business. It seems like the first item thrown in will collapse the bag to the bottom of the barrel. By the end of the shift you've got a container full of CRAP and it's not in a trash bag. This means, when it's time to drag it to the dumpster, you have to pick out each item by hand (I'm especially grateful when people throw poopy briefs and UNEMPTY cans of nutritional supplements in without at least putting them in a smaller bag first).

Ugh.

Solution? Open the trash bag fully and then tie a knot in the side of the bag. The diameter of the trash bag should only be slightly larger than the bin you will be putting it in. Put the trash bag in the container and stretch it over the rim. It should be snug.

Or better yet, if you have the proper type of bin and if you give the bag a little more slack, you can stretch it all the way over and under the handles on two sides and under the rim of the other 2 sides for double duty protection.

No more case of the sunken trash bag. :)

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Specializes in Post Anesthesia.

I read through the posts but one thing I'm missing- when your patient is done- what do you do with a plastic bag full of poo?! Do you just chuck it in the room trash can? I bet your housekeeping department isn't as fond of this trick as you are.

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Specializes in LTC.

^You can't just leave a bag of poo in the room trash can. It would smell. Anytime we throw something gross away, like a brief or poop or food, we have to immediately dump it in the big bins in the dirty room.

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And close the bag before you put it in the trash bin in the dirty utility room so that the whole room won't stink.

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Another little hint...this is for a patient who has a BM with some "gritty" texture...instead of going through a bunch of wipes trying to get rid of the "grit" just add some lotion to your wipe and that should easily wipe away the "grit" from the skin.

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Specializes in ER, OB.

I have a good trick for bedpans. We put powder on the edges of the bedpans to keep their butts from sticking and suctioning to the bedpan. We also line the bottom of the bedpans with TP so that it doesn't stick to the bottom on the bedpan. It all dumps out right into the toilet.

The shaving cream to remove BM is very helpful like the others said, smells nice too.

We have several patients that get a medicated powder for their butts but it never sticks so we usually make a paste like substance with their butt cream to help it stick.

Dip the mouth swabs in the mouthwash (our mouthwash is does not contain alcohol) instead of water to help their breath smell fresh.

Pull chux or soaker pad up between patient's legs to keep from making a mess on the whole bed.

I'm sure there are lots more I just can't think of right now. I will post more later if I think of any. :D

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I am SO glad that our bedpans/commodes have cardboard liners that you just chuck in a machine to grind up!

I can't think of any tricks to make life easier at the moment...I'll be back ;)

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I was once given, as brand new aide, the BEST advice, that I carry with me to this day, 20 years later as both a tech and a NS:

"Rush, but be thorough with everything NOT involving the patient. SLOW DOWN and take your time WITH the patient."

Simple, but true.

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